


Glimpse 3: Skate Skating Skater 1 - Separation and Reunion

by CupcakeGirlA



Series: Decisions, Decisions Series [4]
Category: Olympics RPF, Real Person Fiction, Speed Skating RPF, Sports RPF
Genre: Kid Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-06
Updated: 2012-01-06
Packaged: 2017-10-29 01:02:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/314121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CupcakeGirlA/pseuds/CupcakeGirlA
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Malixi’s chosen to pursue his dream, and follow in his parents footsteps. But that causes complications.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Glimpse 3: Skate Skating Skater 1 - Separation and Reunion

JR entered the silent house with a heavy heart. Closing the door behind himself he collapsed on the living room couch, and flung an arm up over his face. He was tired, and lonely, and beginning to feel very depressed if he was being honest with himself. He did not like this current situation but didn’t know how to fix it. He was also beginning to really understand just how much his parents had loved him when he was a child.

 

Malixi was 12 years old and in Salt Lake City, half a country away from his Daddy. He was there, training for the next Olympic games, which were just 3 ½ years away. JR wanted desperately to be with him, but his job was here, and it unfortunately wasn’t the kind of job that traveled. The only good thing was that Apolo had been able to go to SLC to be with their son. As a result, JR only got to see the two most important people in his life every other weekend, when they flew home to visit. It was too disruptive to Malix’s training to schedule to miss more than one or two practices for a trip home, and that meant visits were every other week. Now, it had been over 5 weeks, and he’d only seen his husband and son twice since they’d left. He missed them terribly.

 

His cell-phone ringing spurred him into moving, the familiar ringtone telling him it was Apolo. He scrambled to dig it out of his pocket.

 

“Hey, Babe, what’s up?” he asked. Apolo sighed in response.

 

“We might have a problem,” Apolo said quietly, as if trying not to be overheard. JR sat up on the couch.

 

“Malixi? He didn’t fall did he?” he asked, his worry sending his heart pounding.

 

“Oh he’s fallen plenty, more than ever before, but he’s not injured,” Apolo paused. “He wants to come home,” he finished quietly.

 

“Home to Seattle?” JR asked.

 

“Yes.”

 

“But why? You’ve only been there a few weeks... It’s just homesickness. You’re coming home this weekend, there’s nothing to be concerned about!” JR protested. Apolo shook his head, running a hand through his hair.

 

“It’s more than that, J. He’s miserable here. He misses you. He doesn’t think the Olympics are worth being this depressed. He says they aren’t worth it if he has to be away from you all the time. You know, for being 12 years old we have an awfully clingy kid.”

 

“You’re just noticing this now?” JR teased. Apolo laughed, and JR turned serious. “How bad is it, Apolo?” he asked.

 

“Really bad. When we got back from afternoon training he locked himself in his room. Half an hour later he came back out with a bag packed asking to go back to Seattle tonight. It took a bit of convincing but I finally got out of him what exactly was wrong. The kid is overwhelmed JR! I think it’s finally hit him what it is he’s training for. All the other kids are looking at him like he already won Olympic Gold. I’m sure having me, Jordan, and Andrea here is helping, but we aren’t you!” JR sighed, but Apolo continued. “I know he loves me, but the fact is that I’m the one he’s used to be away from for long periods of time. You’re the one who’s always been there for him every day and every night. “

 

“Did you convince him to wait until this weekend?” JR asked, pulling himself up off the couch. He headed up the stairs in the dark, knowing the house like the back of his own hand.

 

“Barely. I think the only thing that’s keeping him going is that he’s going to see you in 3 more days,” Apolo said it quietly. JR sighed.

 

“Go cancel your flights. I’ll be on the next one out. I think we need to have a little family discussion ASAP.”

 

 

 

JR’s flight touched down early the next morning. He took a cab to the house they owned in the outskirts of Salt Lake City. Opening the door he was greeted by an extremely enthusiastic Shun. Apolo and Malixi were already at the Oval for morning practice. JR started making lunch, shaking his head at what Apolo had stocked the fridge with. The man needed to loosen up about food, this was getting ridiculous, Malixi was still growing, and the boy needed real food! JR started making a list of groceries to pick up that afternoon, while making a salad, and turkey burgers for when his guys got home. Shun sat at his feet, watching his every move, as if afraid that JR would disappear if he looked away for too long, well that or he’d drop a piece of meat or a nice juicy tomato and he’d miss his chance at a little midday snack. So intent was he on JR that he didn’t respond when the front door opened and Malixi stumbled inside.

 

“Shun?!” he called in confusion. Shun turned and barked, but stayed seated, at JR’s feet. JR shook his head at the dog.

 

“Lazy ass,” he said fondly, petting the dog’s head, and giving him a crust of bread. He looked up just as Malixi came through the kitchen doorway, his red gym bag still flung over his shoulder. Standing, he watched surprise take over his sons face, quickly replaced by relief, and then by what looked surprisingly like grief.

 

“Daddy?” he asked, his face crumpling. JR was across the room instantly, pulling his son into his arms and holding him tight.

 

“Malixi,” JR said softly. He didn’t say anything when the boy started to cry, clutching him close.

 

“I’m sorry,” the boy wailed. JR smiled over the boys shoulder at Apolo, leaning in the doorway watching.

 

“It’s okay. You didn’t do anything wrong!” he protested, rubbing Malixi’s back. He leaned back, pulling his son’s face up, kissing his forehead. “I’m your Daddy. If you ever need me I’ll be here. You know that!”

 

“It’s just too much!” Malixi said, sounding so scared and tired and overwhelmed that JR felt his heart break a little more.

 

“I know. That’s why I’m here!” he said, pushing back his son’s bangs. “We’ll figure this out. Just like we always do!” he promised. “Now, what’s your father been feeding you?” he asked, pulling Malixi over closer to the stove, where the turkey burgers needed turning. Malixi let out a little groan.

 

“I’m not sure, but nothing that smells this good!” he said chewing on his lips. Apolo’s answering laughter made JR feel like he was finally home. JR squeezed Malix’s shoulders.

 

“Come, on. I need my helper. You slice the onions and unwrap the cheese for me,” he ordered, starting to flip the burgers.  Malixi moved to do as ordered, his shoulders already lighter than before. JR’s grin grew huge as Apolo’s arms slipped around his waist, lips pressed to the bare back of JR’s neck.

 

“I love you,” Apolo whispered into JR’s ear. JR smiled at him.

 

“And I love you,” JR replied, flipping the last burger and starting to add the newly unwrapped cheese.  “Now go toss the salad so we can eat!” he said, smacking at Apolo’s hip. Apolo did as ordered.

 

 

After lunch had been devoured, and the mess cleared away the three sat pressed together on the living room couch, Malixi slumped over with his head in JR’s lap, and his legs in Apolo’s. JR stroked his hair back off his forehead.

 

“So, you miss me, huh?” he asked. Malixi rolled over, pressing his face to JR’s stomach, his ears turning red in response.  JR smiled down at him. “Don’t be embarrassed. I missed all of you like crazy. It was just me in that big old house by myself; not even a dog to keep me company!” JR explained. Malix rolled back over, to look up at him.

 

“You missed me too?” he asked quietly. JR nodded.

 

“How could I not? I’ve been taking care of you every day for 12 ½ years, I was bored out of my mind with you gone!”

 

“Well we have to think of something to rectify this situation,” Apolo said, his hands starting to knead Malix’s calf muscles. Malix groaned.

 

“Po is so good at that,” he whispered. JR smiled.

 

“I remember! But we do need to talk about this, and I think I have a solution.” Malixi’s eyes filled with hope, and Apolo scooted closer. “I think I’m going to take early retirement,” he announced. Both of their faces froze in shock.

 

“Dad, you can’t!” Malix said sitting up on the couch. Apolo was frowning.

  
“JR, you love your job!” he protested. JR smiled at them.

 

“I love being an architect. My job is a way for me to do that. But I’ve been with the company for almost 20 years! I love the people and the company and I’m proud of what I’ve done there, but they want to make me a partner, which would basically be a desk job, a management position. That’s not the kind of work I want to be doing!” he explained. He tugged Malix over under his arm. “You need to be here, Malix, and Apolo needs to be here too. If my family needs to be here than I need to be here. You guys are the most important thing in my life. It’s not like we need the money,” he teased. “Besides, if we’re going to be here for the foreseeable future than why should I torture myself?” he asked. “I can move here with you guys, maybe start a little consulting business, something small, to keep me busy,” he prompted. Malixi slowly started to smile.

 

“You’d do that?” he asked. “Won’t Mr. Boris get mad?” he asked. JR smiled.

 

“Mr. Boris saw it coming I think,” he laughed. “When he found out you and Apolo were coming here to SLC, he wanted to know if I was planning to leave. We had a long discussion, but at the time I thought it wouldn’t be necessary. He’s been shooting me these concerned looks though, so I don’t think he’ll be very surprised.” Apolo reached over Malixi’s shoulders to grip the back of JR’s neck.

 

“You’re sure?” he asked his eyes hopeful. JR nodded. Apolo grinned. Leaning forward they kissed, Malixi sandwiched between them. He put up for it for approximately 2 seconds, before pulling out from between them making ‘ew’ noises.

 

“You guys are so gross!” he complained, pulling himself up off the couch. JR smiled into the kiss. Pulling away just enough to speak, he waved a hand in Malix’s direction.

 

“Go play video games, we leave for the oval in half an hour!” JR said before going back to kissing his husband. Malixi’s laughter echoed throughout the house as he headed upstairs to his room.

 

 

 


End file.
